To The Death
by IniRniDefunct
Summary: Prequel to 'Farewell Potter'. This one-shot story is where Harry and Voldemort faces off for one last time. Harry is celebrating his time at Hogwarts in a festive feast when Voldemort decides to crash their party.


This is a Prequel to 'Farewell Potter' one-shot. Again, this has vocabulary that I've included from my English class. You can tell me if I have misused a word. Thank you and enjoy reading.

On the last evening at Hogwarts before students, head home for the summer was a feast one would never forget. Hogwarts' students were laughing, dancing and ate. In the midst of fun chaos, Harry found himself enjoying the feast Dumbledore had for them. He saw his seventh year friend, Neville, accosting to a girl named Lavender. He was nearby so he could see and hear everything.

"Hi," said Neville, smiling with no hint of shyness in his body language. Harry briefly wondered and knew why he had become braver. Since their fifth year, Harry had watched him grow and mature as well as gaining confidence.

"Hello," replied Lavender, smiling back. "What's up Neville?" she asked, clearly a bit surprised that he came up to her.

"May I-may I be a suppliant and have a dance with you?" Harry noted that Lavender is blushing deeply and nodded. Neville looked relieved, relaxed even. He gave her his arm for an escort to the dance floor.

Harry grinned to Neville when he saw him. He grinned back at him. Harry scanned the room and realized that the Aurors were being excessively overt. He shook his head sadly. He only hoped that Voldemort wouldn't decide to be devious and literally crash the party with his forces. It had been only last week when Severus Snape had been discovered as a spy. How he escaped death was still a mystery.

He wandered to the High table and for the second time he had been up here, the first time had been during the Yule Ball. Harry then saw the crowd dancing. Moving fluidly and undulated to the music they were playing (Haunting Headless Horses [HHHs]).

As he scanned the room, feeling oddly myopic about something. He could not point a finger on it. Harry realized it was because he had been relaxed all evening as he was usually tensed, ever since the end of his fifth year. He smiled to himself at that thought. Harry put his right hand into his pocket and felt his talisman, his wand. Early on, he knew that even the heavy doors of the Great hall could not even withstand Voldemort's incendiary blows.

Harry was suddenly reminded of Mad-Eye Moody. He frowned at the memory but smiled sadly. Moody had died in one of the summer's battle in the previous summer. How he was always paranoid and _CONSTANT VILIGENT._ Harry even found himself being paranoid sometimes, but tonight, his paranoia was come from the doors.

He looked around in the room again and found to his surprise, Neville flirting with Lavender. Neville caught his gaze and grinned. Harry found himself smiling back at him. He then looked for his two friends. They had gotten together last year and found the couple dancing in the middle of the floor. _'Good, they're enjoying themselves,'_ thought Harry. He felt a presence nearing him, looked to his left, and found Dumbledore standing there, glinting in his peacock blue eyes.

"Evening Harry," said the headmaster.

"Evening," Harry returned and continued to watch the crowd.

"What brings you here?" Dumbledore asked. Harry shrugged his shoulders in answer.

"I just wanted to get a better view of things or I'll feel quite tensed."

"Understandable Harry," said Dumbledore, nodding. "correct me if I'm wrong Harry," he said in a serious tone. "You were looking particularly tensed not moments before I came to you. Something wrong?"

"You know how I feel about large gatherings such as this one A-Albus." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled wildly at his name mentioned. He then nodded.

"Voldemort Harry?"

"Yeah," replied Harry. "I don't know, I just feel that something's missing or what. With his increased activity lately, I'd say this is best time to ambush. I can feel it A-Albus."

"Mmm, well we have increased security so you needn't wor--"

_BANG, _the loud screams issued as the door burst into smithereens. A loud, cold high pitch laughter rang throughout the Great Hall. Aurors took, well, tried to take their positions as the students scrambled for their lives.

_"POTTER! You will end today!"_ yelled Voldemort.

"Cease!" yelled Dumbledore, trying to get students to calm down. Didn't work and saw flashes of spells thrown in the air. Harry tore over the table, and leaped from table to the dancing floor. He wormed his way around the frightened students, Harry tried to make his way towards the infamous dark wizard. Harry knew Voldemort has an avid hobby of killing and torturing people on sight, more so with Harry. He saw that even third years were battling against the Death Eaters. Aurors had given up in trying to get the students out and joined the fray. Harry had made a lot of gambit moves to avoid deadly curses. Soon, the Death Eaters opted for curses that would fatally kill students and staff members to death by blood loss.

Harry had to jump from one place to another to avoid slipping on the red-liquid floor. He felt a stray curse hit his face. He lost his footing and fell down into the heaps of blood below. Harry felt the thick liquid, filled with brackish taste in his mouth. More curses made their way to Harry now. He quickly activated his shield and finally got up. His shield had all but absorbed curses and hexes.

With his shield up, he helped other people and healed any of the life-threatening wounds. While he'd been helping, he threw curses and hexes at Death Eaters. Either knocking them out, severely hurt or dead. Depending on what he had thrown.

Finally, he reached Voldemort with a grim smile plastered on teenager's face.

"Ah, you've arrived," sneered Voldemort. "How do you like our entrance and enjoying the feast?" Harry snorted, whipping his wand out.

"Shut up Voldemort, _shovum!"_ he shoved Voldemort back a few paces. Then Harry quickly whispered, _""legirdenius," _ at Voldemort. Harry created a false look that Voldemort was being surrounded by Aurors, closing in. This would eventually cause Voldemort to panic, or to do something rash.

Voldemort decided to do something rash and head butted Harry, which he took by surprise. The two collasaped to the floor and the two felt pain coursing through their body because of their bond. Harry tried to push him away and used his wand. _"SHOVUM!"_ yelled Harry, sending him flying through the air and crashing into the corridor out of Great Hall. Voldemort moved with celerity and amazing precise movements, he threw the Cruciatus curse at Harry. Harry immediately conjured a sofa chair in front of the incoming blast of Cruciatus curse and hit the sofa. Causing to burst into flames.

Harry knew that Voldemort's pejorative tendencies as battles would rage on. He had to end this now or everyone would be in more danger than ever. Harry quickly scanned the room and found Great Hall to be in great maelstrom of violent curses and counter curses thrown around. He quickly refocused back on Voldemort and found him reacting to the false vision he gave to him. He allowed himself to plan quickly on how to deal with Voldemort. The only plausible thing to do is to get him out of Hogwarts. Harry found Ron standing next to him, the two nodded in covenant in taking the dark wizard on. Harry knew that arguing with Ron to stay behind was useless and takes up a lot of time. He'd just let him tag along and perhaps he'll be something of use.

"Harry mate, since you've confused Voldemort, let's take care of the Death Eaters. I saw Wormtail in that corner over there, I'm willing to bet that you want to take _ care_ of him," spat Ron. Harry understood, taking another look at Voldemort, still thinking that more and more Aurors were trying to take him. In reality, his own followers had tried to help his master who was apparently confused and attacked his own followers.

_'Well, that takes care a lot of the Death Eaters,'_ thought Harry dryly as he quickly made his way to Wormtail. How long he had been waiting to avenge his parents, avenge Cedric, Sirius, and many of his countless friends he'd made at Hogwarts. It was because of this man that he lost so many people in the first war and now the second. He found Wormtail cowering in one corner. Harry sneered at him, not willing to believe that he had been once in Gryffindor.

_"Wormtail_," spat Harry. "How nice it is to see you."

"H-Harry," whimpered Wormtail.

"Don't you call me that!" roared Harry, casting binds on Wormtail, the exact same charm as Wormtail had done to him in his fourth year.

"Harry please," pleaded Peter Pettigrew, once friends of his father's and Sirius.

"Shut up, your last day has come to an end," said Harry coolly, pointing his wand at him. Wormtail widened in surprise, looking beyond Harry.

"Harry! Look out, behind you!" yelled Wormtail. Harry ducked and rolled to his right and turned around as he saw Lucius Malfoy finishing the Killing curse now on set course for Wormtail.

Harry widened his eyes in surprise and realization that Wormtail had just saved his life. He saw the horror on the pathetic's face that had been in hiding for twelve years as a rat as the green light hit squarely in the chest and fell limb to the floor. Lucius Malfoy snarled, changing his look at Harry.

"Well, he was a traitor anyways. Pathetic," drawl Lucius, his glaze set on Harry. "I shall finish for the Dark Lord's attempt to kill you! _Avada Kedavra!"_ Harry dove behind a downed table and the table burst into flames. He crawled backward away from the flaming table and saw Lucius walking towards him.

_'Where's Ron? Hermione? Dumbledore?' _ thought Harry vaguely, trying to look around for anything to hide behind. He found none, and gathering his courage. He stood up and flipped his wand out, pointing at Malfoy. _"Consisus tengun velius!" _He threw the puncture curse at Malfoy, causing a gaping blood hole pouring out of his stomach as wide as the length of a muggle pencil. With Lucius being distracted by his own pain, Harry cast the binding charm on him and made way for Voldemort.

He was not pleased at all when he finally understood what was going on and found most of his followers injured or dead because of his confusion with Aurors. Harry gave a small wry smile at Voldemort who seethed in anger.

"POTTER! YOU HAVE LOST ME SERVANTS!" Harry laughed aloud. "What is so funny? This isn't funny!" screeched Voldemort.

"No, it's not that, it's just that Lucius Malfoy said the exactly same thing when I set Dobby free," said Harry, chuckling. Then Dobby appeared next to Harry and surprised him.

"Dobby heard his name, does Master Harry want him?" asked Dobby. This only infuriates Voldemort even more. Harry gave a small grin to the house elf.

"Yes you can, can you see to students and staff members if they are hurt?" Dobby's eyes widen in shock as he did the actual examination of the Great Hall.

"Oh no! This is terrible! Master Harry!" Dobby faced Voldemort and yelped. "YOU-KNOW-WHO!"

"Dobby, please!" said Harry, deliberately delaying Voldemort. Dobby nodded and disappeared for exactly three seconds and returned with all of the house elves of Hogwarts and began to help everyone. "Thank you."

"Potter, I do not tolerate this!"

"Really, I didn't know," said Harry sarcastically. "Want to duel? Fine, face me," said Harry, still holding the wand in his right hand.

"No, I'll simply finish you off!_ Avada Kedavra!" _Harry heard the killing curse but at the same time, he heard a familiar trilling noise. He watched the green light coming straight for Harry, he had no where to dodge anymore. He couldn't believe his time was coming. But the phoenix flew in the path of green light and burst into flames.

"Fawkes!" yelled Harry, relieved that he had been saved once again. Which only made Voldemort angrier as Harry points his wand at him. "Let's just end this now Voldemort," said Harry, almost sounding too wearily. Voldemort snarled and turned to his left, for the Entrance Hall. Surprised by his sudden actions, he ran after him. Harry heard foot falls following him and found Ron.

"Ron!"

"No, I'm coming with you mate!" said Ron, persistent in coming with Harry.

"Just don't get killed," muttered Harry. The pair ran down the stairs and followed Voldemort to Forbidden forest. Harry wasn't sure if Voldemort would disapparated once he crossed the line or not. Ron and Harry closed in on the distance from Voldemort and were only a good fifteen feet behind him. Harry knew that the three running into the Forbidden forest would be committing sacrilege from other creatures of the night.

He would deal with them later. Harry had to focus solely on Voldemort, to either kill him or capture him. Harry tried to tell Ron that he had to fight Voldemort alone but being as stubborn as he is. Ron showed great animadversion of his perspective that Harry should not fight alone.

"Mate, you can't, he's you know!" said Ron.

"Ron, I've fought him countless times! You haven't!" said Harry, using whispering voices as they continued the chase after Voldemort.

"I know mate, but let me help you for once," said Ron, pleading.

"I'll ask for your help when I need it then!" hissed Harry as they reached the foothold of the mountain. Unbeknownst to them, Professor Snape had also followed the chase. Everyone ran into a cavern and saw that Voldemort was slowing down his pace.

He saw Voldemort turning around, aiming the wand at Ron, ready to release the Stunning hex. Harry's stomach clenched in realization. Harry yelled for his best friend.

__

"Ron! Get out of the way!" Ron quickly moved out of the way as Harry felt relieved when the Stunning spell missed and he took aim.

__

"EXPILLIARMUS!" yelled Harry, shooting at Voldemort but missed. Then he jumped in surprise when someone else had arrived.

"Get out of here!" yelled Professor Snape, trying to get Ron out of the way.

"Fine," mumbled Ron, but not moving where he is. Snape only growled and sighed.

"Just stay there will do," he said.

"YOU! You are still alive and the spy!" yelled Voldemort.

"I'm not the only one," said Severus Snape, glaring. "But you're dying anyways, _Tenebrosus Asphyxiatis!"_

"Ha! That won't kill me, how about this you traitor! _Displodo stomachus venematus!"_

Before anyone could have the time to blink, Harry dove in front of Professor Snape, throwing the instant killing curse at Voldemort.

__

"Avada Kedavra!" yelled Harry as the impact from Voldemort's hit Harry into his stomach. Both had fallen instantly to the ground, one dead, and another collapsed. Harry soon lost his consciousness, but heard the voice from Ron. Which sounded so distant, so far away? ?

__

"Mate, Harry, are you okay?"

Ron's POV

Ron stared at Harry in alarm, his stomach was bleeding badly! He looked to Severus Snape, nevermind how badly he treated them in Potions and outside of the classroom. He saw him levitating Harry into the air, and took something out of his pocket.

"Come Weasley, this is a portkey back to the Wing," drawl Snape, still looking in shock. Ron hurriedly touched the object, which appeared to be an old part of a telephone. Severus attached Harry's finger to the telephone and the three whisked away as they felt the pull behind each navel. Upon arriving, Madam Pomfrey shrieked at Harry's state, she walked away from a patient she had been treating.

"Put him down! He's not going to live if we don't act now!" said Madam Pomfrey, alarmed. Ron felt something clashing in his lungs. _'He's not going to live he's not going to live' _the thought kept echoing in his head as he walked dazedly away from the Wing. He had to go find Hermione. He picked his pace, then three meters later, he was at a full run, to the Great Hall.

Ron had never ran this fast in his life, the walls were literally speeding past him in a blur. When he arrived in Great Hall, and stopped. The blood was gone, Death Eaters disappeared and the tables were restored as if there had been not a fight tonight, if not for the doors that had been blown into smithereens. House elves are fast with their cleaning. He saw the Headmaster at the podium and ran to him.

"PROFESSOR! HARRY MIGHT NOT LIVE!" yelled Ron, halfway towards him. Immediately, the old wizard made his way around the podium and walked for Ron.

"Come this way," said Dumbledore, walking faster than he had ever seen him before.

"Where's Hermione, I haven't"

"She's leading students back to the Gryffindor tower, I will have no doubt she will come to the Wing if you nor Harry have returned." Ron nodded, still unable to believe that Harry could die. _'Didn't the prophecy say that one would live while the other die in the end?'_ thought Ron angrily. _'He had to survive this one! Voldemort's dead and he should be living!'_

They reached Hospital Wing in no time at all and found Madam Pomfrey had floo'ed Healers from St. Mungos. Majority of them working on Harry's gaping wound.

"We're losing his heartbeat!" said one of the Healers frantically. Ron lost all sense of time, emotions, and physical at that moment. His moments with Harry flashed before his eyes, the first meeting with Harry on the train. Studying and goofing off together, and going on many adventures every year after year. He couldn't lose his best mate tonight!

"We're stabilizing him, he may live," said another Healer, looking a bit relieved but still working. Ron felt a new surge of hope that he may live. He felt presence behind him and found Hermione.

"Hermione!" yelled Ron, pulling her into a hug. "Oh my god."

"What's going on?" asked Hermione, panicking.

"I thought we lost him Hermione, I thought we" said Ron, about to break down.

"What, what do you mean? Harry?" asked Hermione fearfully.

"We nearly lost his heartbeat," said Ron solemnly, looking back at the Healers.

"Oh no" said Hermione, staring fearfully at her best friend.

"We can only wait" said Ron as Hermione nodded, unshed tears in her eyes.

"He can't die, he's finished with school. We're going back home tomorrow!" said Hermione, whispering. Dumbledore had started giving his hand in helping Harry heal.

"His stomach wound won't close," said one of the mediwizard fearfully. Ron's hand gripped Hermione's tightly at this.

"We have to keep trying, Poppy, got any more of those potions?"

"I'm nearly out of stock Albus," answered Madam Pomfrey.

"Then go get more from St. Mungos," said the healer that had said Harry was losing his heartbeat. Pomfrey nodded grimly and walked away. "All we can do is keep giving him blood, otherwise he will only die of blood loss."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding as everyone kept working. Severus Snape stood in front of Ron and Hermione suddenly.

"You should go back to the tower, Potter will, of course, live."

"How do you know that?" demanded Ron. Snape sneered, but not his usual sneer. More like hesitant sneer.

"Potter has an uncanny way to escape death. This won't be anything different."

"This is different!" said Ron.

"Please, do not fight in here," said Albus Dumbledore as Ron glared at his Potions master and the led Hermione out of the Hospital Wing.

Next day, everyone had celebrated that Voldemort is finally dead once and for all. His body was all the proof they need. Voldemort is indeed dead. Only a handful are worried about Harry's condition. One of the pair is of course, Hermione and Ron.

Dumbledore rose from his seat and called everyone's attention. Then he summarily spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, I know we are all ecstatic," his voice becoming more histrionic, "that Voldemort is dead." Loud cheers resulted from this. Dumbledore rose his hand for silence. "I want to deliver this speech before you all go on your train back to King's Cross," then his voice became solemn.

"Harry Potter have saved our lives, if not for him, some of our numbers would have been lost. Thanks to him, we have lost no one. However, some have been injured. But what else can we hope for? Now Mr. Harry Potter may just not live to see the end of this week." Loud gasping noise resulted from this. "He has sacrificed his very well being for our lives, so please do not forget what he has done for us last night."

Madam Pomfrey's POV

In the Hospital Wing, Ron Weasley stared at his friend, Madam Pomfrey had seen to propriety for Ron to wait bedside by his friend. Madam Pomfrey had learned from past seven years, the trio would not be willingly leave the Wing unless forced to, to get away from Potter. But not today nor tomorrow. She would allow them as long as they don't interfere when she tries to check up on Harry.

She felt awful for Harry Potter, who had ended up in the Wing many more times, than she cared to. In fact, Harry had ended up in here more than anyone in her career as a Medi-wizard at Hogwarts. She frowned at the frail body in front of Mr. Weasley. She had grown fond of Mr. Potter over the years, he'd been a good patient, albeit impatient. Of course, he would hate to stay in bed while it was nice day out when he preferred to fly. Sighing to herself, she retired to her office.

Ron's POV

Next day, in the evening had come to a crawl as Ron sat in the chair next to Harry, his fatal wound would not close up, even with magic. He watched in anticipation, as Pomfrey tried to consult other medi-wizards for help.

"Harry mate, please hang on," pleaded Ron as Pomfrey was trying to get some help. It had sounded like there were so many injuries at St. Mungos that none could even help Harry. Ron felt angry, but he understood the need to help others. He watched as Harry's skin growing cold, and pale.

Hermione had just entered the room when he heard the slowing of his breath. His eyes went wide as saucers.

"HARRY! NO!" screamed Ron, leaping out of his chair.

"What is it!?" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey, running to Harry's bed. "Oh no, quick, go get the blood-replenishing potion!" Ron nodded, knowing exactly where the potions are store. He ran off as Madam Pomfrey began to work on Harry.

"Oh Harry, please hold on, you've been through this before!" Hermione said, begging while trying to help the nurse as much as she can. This proved useful for the older woman. When Ron ran back with the blood-replenishing potion and gave to Pomfrey while watching Harry.

She administered the potion to Harry's mouth with magic, helping him to swallow. However, Ron realized that he had been too slow. When the three saw the last breath coming out of his nose and went much more limp than a second ago.

"Harry! You can't leave!" yelled Ron, feeling the tears coming out of his eyes.

"Oh no" Hermione whispered, realizing what had just happened. "Harry no, oh my god," she murmured, falling to her knees and began to cry. Ron seems to have lost all action of thought as he stared blankly at Harry. Hoping that he would start breathing again. Pomfrey had all ready left, but she was close to tears. After she came back, tears were now flowing freely.

"They're coming" said Pomfrey as the two knew who were coming. Before the three knew it, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Remus and Mrs. Weasley ran into the Hospital Wing. Snape had brought up the rear, one look at Harry from everyone and their reactions were kind of hard to miss.

"HARRY!" shirked Mrs. Weasley, openly bawling as she ran to the bed. Remus only caught up with her, horror and sadness in his eyes.

"Harry, oh no" murmured Remus, fingering Harry's wound that refused to stop. He studied the injury, which was the size of two human hands on his stomach. Pomfrey couldn't even bandage the wide cut as they literally burned through. Dumbledore's eyes had lost all recognition of sparkles and looked even more ancient than ever. The two young students were half in awe of how he was even able to stand, looking so old.

Professor McGonagall openly wept for her student and fellow Gryffindor. She pulled out her used handkerchief as she had been crying for past two days for all the loss she had. First her husband, then her relatives and close family in her hometown was lost. She sat down in the nearby chair as she couldn't stand up anymore and cried.

Snape's reaction was the most memorable, he simply stood there, void of any emotion, not even a hint of anger. Suddenly he walked three paces, standing next to Albus Dumbledore. "Potter.." he spoke softly, but everyone caught what he said. "Foolish Potter! Now I can't repay you for saving my life!" he growled loudly. Without warning, he dropped to one knee beside the bed. "Idiot, now I can't be left alone! I want to hate your father in peace. Imbecile," he drooped his head down toward the floor. Before everyone's eyes, he wept only a single small tear.


End file.
